Saving For A Car?

Its4women.ie’s Guide to Getting you on the Road!

Looking to get yourself a new set of wheels? If you’ve got green eyes after seeing Kylie Jenner’s latest vehicular present and are contemplating trading up in the world for a shiny new Car, read on because we’ve got the lowdown on what it takes to squirrel away those penneys.

Saving for anything can be tough but with a Car, doubly so as there can lots of other associated expenses that pop up in a Car owner’s life that you may not consider before beginning the uphill battle of saving. From Car maintenance and servicing to repairs, motor tax and insurance on top of the cost of actually purchasing the Car itself! Despite all this, nothing compares to that feeling of freedom as you zip down the motorway listening to your favourite album or having control over where you go and when.

When you first decide you want to treat yourself to that new set of wheels, start by deciding how much you can afford to spend. Most of us aren’t millionaires and will have to adhere to a particular budget when planning a Car purchase. Think about this first and start by factoring in all the running costs associated with Car ownership. How much will you have to spend on fuel, your NCT, insurance and tax per year? Work out exactly what you can afford to spend.

Once you have outlined how much you can afford, it’s time to get practical! Rome wasn’t built in a day and the best way to save up that nest egg is by being consistent. Set up a separate direct debit and whenever you get paid have an automatic amount go straight to your Car fund. Having your saving automated takes all the pain out of it, it’s as if it was never even in your account in the first place! Be consistent and even if it’s only €50 a month at first, slowly start to grow your savings as you go, chipping away at that final figure with each payslip.

Now that you have set up your Car fund, it’s time to see where else you can make a saving. Are you a morning coffee fiend constantly running to the barista for your fix before work or do you indulge in a shop-bought lunch every day? Even little things like one-too-many Indian takeaways across the month can leave a gaping hole in your bank balance. These may not seem like big luxuries but they all add up! If you were to cut out your €3 latte a day, that would add up to €21 a week, €84 a month and over €1,000 a year. Shocking, isn’t it? It’s not all doom and gloom, keep a stash of instant at your desk and practise your DIY coffee skills at work.

Start bringing your lunch to work. In Ireland, the average person will spend about €155 per month eating out on their lunch hour. Spending a few extra minutes in the morning putting together a simple salad or throwing last night’s leftovers into a plastic tub can save you a fortune in the long run.

Blast your beauty spend by making some clever cosmetic changes. Check out top blogger posts on their favourite beauty dupes to find cheaper alternatives to your usual higher-end faves. Swerve those alluring cosmetic counters of the Brown Thomas beauty hall for our old friend Boots and check out some great, affordable makeup brands.

Make a Pitstop at your local credit union or scope out financing options from dealerships directly, some of which offer tailored repayments to suit you or have deposit sums as low at 7% of the Car’s road price.

Happy saving and soon you’ll be zipping along in a shiny new Car! Remember to get your quote from us at its4women.ie.